Broken Stone
by theoneafter
Summary: You didn't love her. You just didn't want to be alone. Or maybe, she was just good for your ego. Or, or maybe she just made you feel better about your miserable life, but you didn't love her. Because you don't destroy the people you love.
1. Found You

"What the hell was that?"

I turned to look at Greg, who was shuffling away from the all sudden moving trees in front of us. I grabbed Henry's arm tightly and pulled him closer to me. He looked at me wide eyed and scared.

"What the hell do you think?" I responded to Greg, looking up at him from Henry.

"The…"

"Home office?" Sounded a voice from the group of boys emerging from the bushes and trees.

 _Well, there's Felix for you. Always knows how to make an entrance._

"Welcome home, Venn." He leered and stretched out the words.

Henry gripped onto my hand tighter and turned his shaky head to look at me. "V, how does he know your name?" He whispered, so quiet my ears could barely hear him.

"Get behind me," I whispered back.

"The home office, is a bunch of teenagers?"

"They're not teenagers." Henry's hands clamped tightly around my own. "They're the Lost Boys."

Felix faked an impressed look on his grimy face. "Look at that."

"Why do the Lost Boys want to destroy magic?" Henry asked. I squeezed his hand, silently urging him to stop talking.

"Well who said we wanted to destroy magic?"

"That was our mission." Greg began. I wrapped an arm around Henry's waist pulling toward my own away from him.

"So you were told, yes. Now," He turned to look at me. "Hand over the captives." He was so damn smug. As always.

Tamara stepped forward. "Not until you tell us the plan."

Well, she's dead.

"Henry, when I say run, run," I whispered to Henry, not taking my eyes off the boys surrounding us.

"For getting home."

"Three."

"You're not getting home."

"Two."

"Then you're not getting the captives."

"One."

"Of course we are."

"Go! Run!"

Henry and I bolted into the left of the forest. I kept his hand in mine and trudged him through the thick array of trees. The Lost Boys were right behind us, so I pulled him behind a series of tall bushes and short trees. We rolled across our backs and  
crouched, hidden in the shrubs. The group of boys past.

I sighed deeply and un-tensed my muscles. Henry, who was then laying on my chest did the same, sitting up. He looked around.

"Venn…"

"Shh," I said, putting a finger to my lip. "Don't move."

I lightly gripped his shoulders. "Just give me a second. I'll check for guards by the south side. Those aren't the only boys. Pan is smart, he will have them scattered everywhere."

"Venn, Don't…"

"I'll be back in like two seconds, okay kid?" He nodded hesitantly.

I stood up slowly and began to walk steadily up and out of the bushes. I didn't see any boys, so I proceeded.

I walked about a good 20 steps more before I was grabbed from the waist.

I was pulled up against someone and a hand was clamped harshly around my mouth. The boy smashed his back into a tree, facing away from Henry.

He leaned his head and brushed my cheek slightly. "If you thrash or scream, I will knock you out dead."

 _Perfect, Devin._

"Thanks." I heard Henry's voice back by the bushes.

"No problem."

I jerked in Devin's grip, which only lead him to tightening it.

 _Pan._

"We must be quick. Pan has forces everywhere."

 _What the hell?_

I heard them start running. They ran right past me and Devin, not even noticing us leaned up against the tree.

Once we could no longer hear their footsteps, Devin had loosened his grip enough for me to elbow him in the gut and sprint right toward where Pan and Henry had escaped off to.

I ran for a while, expertly navigating my way through each branch, each uprooted tree. Not knowing which way they took, I began taking rights. If Pan did want something with Henry, he would lead him toward the camp.

I heard a twig crack and instantly grabbed my pocket knife from inside my jacket. I raised it up and began to circle around, searching for the sound of the noise.

"Put the knife down, Venn."

"Felix,"

"Put. It. Down."

I clenched my fist but released it, watching it fall to the ground in front of me. I turned around to be met with an all to happy scar-faced Lost Boy smirking darkly at me.

"Well. Look how you've grown," He said, adjusting his club on his shoulder. He took a long look up and down, not saying there was much to take in.

"Can't say the same for you," I smirked back, crossing my arms. "It's been a while."

"Indeed."

"What do you want?"

"I think you know." He swung the club from his shoulder to his side and walked slowly toward me, leaving us inches apart. He smirked and tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ear.

I turned around and tried to run, but my attempts were ended shortly. He grabbed my shoulder and whipped me to the ground.

After a hard blow to the head, Neverland faded away into darkness.

 _( line break)_

"You couldn't be more right Henry."

"How did you know my name? I never told you."

"Let's make it a game. A puzzle to solve."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"For years I've sort out something very important. Something very powerful. The heart of the truest believer. And when you took that pixie dust and jumped off that cliff, you proved yourself. You are the owner of that very special heart."

Boys began to close in a circle, surrounding Pan and Henry entirely. Felix came into view holding Venn steadily in his arms.

Pan turned his head to look at him. "That fast?"

Felix nodded and they shared a blunt chuckle. Pan motionedhis head toward the floor. Felix smirked and threw Venn's unconscious body on the ground at Henry's feet.

"Venn!" He dropped down and held her hand to check for a pulse. "What did you do to her?"

Pan smirked. "Oh don't worry, she's fine."

Henry didn't look up from her. "What do you want with her?"

"She has more to do with this than you think, Henry. See, the game is just beginning."

Two Lost Boys stood him up and began to drag him backward toward the camp. Henry looked at Pan with a disgust.

"Just wait until I reset the board."

"Let me go!" He yelled.

They continued to drag him backward. Pan crouched down where Venn was still lying knocked out.

"Please! Don't hurt her!" Henry attempted to run forward.

"Don't worry Henry. I wouldn't dream of ever hurting her." He smirked.

Soon Henry and the other boys were gone off to the camp. Pan cleared some of Venn's long brown hair out of her face and lifted her up into his arms, placing one arm under the folds of her knees and the other around her neck.

"I told you that you wouldn't get far, love." He whispered softly.

He brought her back to the camp, back to her hell.

 ** _AN / ehehehehehehehehehehe here we go! Back at it again with another OC! Ehehehehehehehehehehheehheehehehe I'm so excited! I will try to update once or twice a week if I can. I'M SO EXCITED!_**


	2. Her Name Is Venn

It was sealed. I was back.

After everything I had fought for, everything I had run from, I was back.

I opened my eyes, I was in the cellar.

It was underground, directly underneath the camp. There were no doors, no windows. Just a staircase about ten feet across from me that led up to an invisible door. It blended in to the dirt, but with the proper spell it could be opened.

My right ankle was chained like a leash to the stone wall, enchanted to make it impossible to break.

I sat in silence for a while, regretting everything I ever fought for. All the blood sweat and held back tears that I had put in to survive. Was it worth it?

It was like I never had left.

Light poured in from the staircase, someone had opened it.

I looked away, not wanting to face any of the Lost Boys right then and there.

"Venn?"

 _Henry?_

I looked up, Henry ran toward me. He placed the tray of food he was holding and ran to hug me.

"Venn!"

"Henry!"

He pulled away. "What are you doing down here?"

"Henry..."

"V, please. Just tell me."

I grabbed the tray of food and sat down against the wall. I nodded toward the ground in front of me, silently telling Henry to sit down. He did.

"Henry. I lived here a long time…"

"You were a Lost Boy?!" He jumped up, and backed away from me.

"No. A prisoner."

"What?" He sat back down slowly.

"A prisoner, for nearly five hundred years."

"What? Why?"

"My mother. She was a desperate woman. Before giving birth, she left her husband, but wanted eternal youth to find another love. She believed that if she could stay young, stay beautiful, she would find her true love. Her true happiness."

"She made a deal with Pan."

"Yeah. He granted her everlasting life at the age she was in, asking for her first-born child in return."

"You?"

"There was a seer. She had told him that my mother would bear a boy, an important boy that Pan would need in the future."

"But you're, a girl."

"He simply asked for her first-born child. He thought that the child would be the boy, but it was me."

"Then why were you a prisoner?"

"He told her that her first-born would be of no use to him until 14 years of age. My mother abandoned me the day I was born, sending me to live in an orphanage."

"Venn, you haven't answered my…"

"Pan kidnapped me when I turned 14. He thought I was going to be the boy he needed. I wasn't."

"And?"

"And, he didn't want me. He didn't, but he kept me. He wanted a prize. He was so obsessed with rewards, with the win of the game he said he couldn't let me leave. Or else, he said, he would lose his prize."

I took the tray of food and split the piece of bread in two. I handed the other half to Henry who took a small bite. I, however, devoured it in the most unladylike way possible.

"So what, he just kept you down here all five hundred years?"

"No. Just the first hundred."

"What?"

"After that, he let me out. I was just their shiny new Christmas present. There were times when it was fun, though. I would go on hunts with the boys a lot, I took a lot of walks too. I had my own tent and they respected my privacy. But like I said before, I was a _thing_ to them. Not a person, not a girl. A _thing_."

"Why don't you trust him them?"

"He tortured me. Both physically and mentally, tortured me. He just let the boys do what they wanted to me, they treated me like a piece of furniture."

"Why?"

"I don't know. That was the worst part. And, and then he had claimed to care about me, but he didn't."

"Why would he claim to care about you?"

"He wanted my trust. He _needed_ my trust."

"But…"

"There's a void in him, a cavity impossible to fill. His soul is an endless black hole that needs love, affection. He thought he could find that in me. He tried, and failed. He tried to love me. I tried to love him too, but, but he just hurt me so badly the wounds were too big to heal."

"So you kept you here until you until you learned to love him?"

"No. He knew I would never love him, so he stopped. He vowed to make me suffer for it."

"Suffer for choosing not to love."

"I should have learned earlier, he's a monster."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault Henry. I survived."

"But you got out, you were in Maine…"

"Yeah, I went through a lot but I stole a bean. I got out. Two years I was free, and I was happy. And like always, he swoops in and f's up everything."

We both snapped our head to the stairs as a bright light began to shine through the magical openings. Down ran the one and only…

 _Peter freaking Pan._

"Henry. Why don't you go back up to the camp and meet the other boys?"

Henry looked back at me with the most scared eyes I had seen on him.

"Henry," I grabbed his hand. "He's not gonna hurt me."

"Yes, he will, you told me…"

"Henry, I'm fine."

Henry looked down but nodded.

"Bye," I whispered.

Henry then ran up the stairs, not making eye contact with Pan on the way out.

I stood up and crossed my arms as the demon of a boy approached me.

"Venn."

"Pan."

"It's good to have you back."

"Right," I swung my leg lowly, making the chain swirl like a snake. "Good."

"It's temporary."

I smirked and leaned against the wall, my arms still crossed. "What the hell do you want with Henry?"

"So demanding."

"I wasn't asking."

He smirked and took a threatening step closer. I kept a straight face, though in reality I wanted to laughed at his attempt to intimidate me.

"I thought," He took a piece of my hair in between his fingers and began playing with it. "I thought I had made it clear I don't Take orders from you."

"Oh, you did."

He let go of my hair slowly. "I thought so."

"What the hell do you want with Henry."

"I think you know the answer to that, Venn."

"He isn't…"

"Indeed he is."

I put my palm up to my forehead. "The heart of the truest believer."

"Yes."

"And you're gonna kill him."

"Yes."

"And I assume I'm not allowed to tell him?"

"Yes."

" _Perfect._ "

I sat down taking my head in my hands. He crouched down, resting one knee on the ground and his arm on the other. He picked up the tray.

"You get enough to eat?"

I looked up from my hand. "Yeah?"

He nodded and smirked down at my hand, it was shaking.

"I'll be right back."

He stood up and walked up the stairs. I looked down at my hand, it was tremoring.

 _God damnit._

I grabbed it with the other, trying to get it to stop. I banged it up against the jagged rock wall. I hit it until I could feel the warm blood spilling from the knuckles.

 _Well, at least it stopped shaking._

I rubbed my hand on my jeans. Then the light poured in from the stairs. It was Pan again. He was holding a long cloth.

I stood up again, crossed my arms to hide the blood on the left one.

It was a blanket.

 _That's it Pan, kidnap your way to a girl's heart._

"Here," he tossed it out to me. I caught it with both hands without flinching. Pan continued to walk forward. "Seriously?"

"What?" I followed his gaze. He was smirking at my hand. "It's nothing." I wrapped the blanket around myself.

"No. It's not _nothing_ ," Pan grabbed my hand making me drop the blanket. He turned it around and examined it. I hid the confused look from my face.

"Bloody hell," Pan sighed. He began to wave his hand around my own. I snapped it away.

"No."

"I didn't think so."

Pan smirked and I sat down, grabbing the blanket and wrapping it back around myself. He crouched down again.

"I had almost forgotten, you stopped believing in me."

"Yeah, a long time ago."

"You'll learn."

"I doubt it."

He snickered. "We have a guest coming tomorrow. One that has taken a great interest in you."

"And who do I owe the pleasure?" I adjusted my blanket.

"The Dark One."

"Of course." I sighed sarcastically.

He stood up. "It's getting late."

"I wouldn't know."

He snickered again. "Goodnight, Venn."

I rolled my eyes. "Night."

He smirked and walked back up those damn steps, stomping out the only light in the cellar.

Hmm.

 _(line break)_

Pan walked up the stairs, closing the entrance to Venn's cellar behind him. He strutted back over to Henry, who was sitting and waiting anxiously on the farthest log from the fire.

Henry stood up when Pan got to him. "What did you do to her?"

"Relax," Pan gripped his shoulder lightly and pushed him gently back onto the log.

"Venn is a, complicated individual."

"Yeah. I got that."

"She's been through a lot."

"Yet somehow, she survived," Henry stood up.

"Where are you going?" Pan stood up after him.

"Finding a place to sleep. Goodnight, Pan."


	3. Quiet Minds

Yep, there's nothing like waking up from a dream, in the exact place you were dreaming about.

The cellar was freaking cold.

My hands were almost numb and my feet were no better. Neverland, weather is normally nice but when you have a demon boy sorting out ways to ruin your life circumstances aren't always the best.

I looked around the cellar, looking for…

 _There._

It was just a rock that split out from the others on the wall, just high enough off the ground to warm my hands.

I stood up, shivering, and jumped up to the rock. I always did pull ups when I got cold. It warmed my muscles and kept my mind at bay. It was one of the only things I did in my spare time.

As I pulled chin up to the rock I could hear the chain attached to my foot clank the ground every time I released.

 _Up, down, up, down._

I felt the familiar feeling of light and warmth of the staircase flood my body and the dreaded sound of footsteps making their way down the very steps.

 _Up, down, up, down._

"Venn."

 _Up, down, up down._

"Venn. Get down."

I internally rolled my eyes and jumped down from the rock, landing still looking at the wall.

I turned around and saw a smirking Pan, unsurprisingly, and...

 _Well,_ _what'd you know? The Dark One._

"God damn, Pan. Give a girl a little preparation time? I could have spiffed up if I knew you would be coming down here with _The Dark One._ " I snorted.

Pan raised his eyebrows at me angrily. I leaned up against the wall.

He looked over at Rumpelstiltskin and motioned for him to go backward from me. He obeyed.

I heard them mumbling words and Pan kept gesturing to me. Rumple looked at me with strange eyes, like interest but also guilt.

"Ah, yes." Rumple walked toward me and I stepped forward off the wall. He stopped barely a foot in front of me and grabbed a piece of my hair, twisting it between his fingers. He stretched it out to its full length to the side and let it go slowly.

I faked a smile and kept eye contact with him.

"She'll do just fine."

Rumple kept his eyes on me, I smiled and then spit in his face.

Pan glared at me from behind him and waved his hand. With his magic, I was thrown up against the stone wall harshly. Rumple stepped back.

"She's just like her mother."

I kept all emotion from my face hidden.

"Beautiful, yet so stubborn."

I scowled at him as I gathered myself off the floor.

"How old?"

"422," I smirked, finally making to my feet.

"How. Old."

I scoffed. "16."

Once again Pan and Rumple went off away from me to talk, this time with fewer gestures. Then they left.

 _Well, bye to you too Pan._

I grabbed the blanket that was now scuffled up on the floor and used it to wrap myself. I moved myself to the corner of the cellar and sat down, bringing my knees to my chest.

And there I was left, alone in the darkness. And for quite a while I might add.

 _(line break)_

I was half asleep when the light came pouring back into the dark cellar, which made me look up from my cave of blankets.

Or _blanket._

Pan came down the steps with another tray of food.

"Hungry?"

I unfolded myself from my warm cocoon. "Sure."

He smirked and crouched down in front of me, placing the tray of food down.

"Thanks," I said, picking up an apple from it. I took a bite out of it.

"So," I began, mouth full, "What was with Rumpelstiltskin?"

He chuckled. "In good time."

I rolled my eyes. "Right."

There was a good silence, I ate most of my food and Pan watched intently. I hardly noticed it, though, as it wasn't the first time he had done that. I was deep om thought, as I supposed he was as well.

"Why did you wait?" I asked, looking at the ground.

"What?" He snapped out of his daze.

"Why did you wait two years to bring me back?"

"Missed me?"

I snickered. "No. I just, you were so demanding I'd stay and then when I escaped, and then you weren't. Why?"

He smirked. "Let's just say I wasn't at best terms with the people of your realm. Bringing you back at the time would have been dangerous for the island."

"The seer?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I guess."

"You know the rules, Venn. You don't tell Henry anything unless I say so."

"Why?"

"He doesn't need to know anything more than what you told him."

"You need him to believe in you."

He smiled lightly. "And now I'm thinking I told _you_ too much."

"Does he know?"

His gaze hardened. "Know what?"

"That he'll have to stay here, on the island with you."

He averted his eyes. "Not yet. But he'll see, he'll want to stay after I'm done."

"You're gonna use the pipes."

"No. He needs to believe in me, not the pipes."

"He won't"

Pan raised his eyebrows. "What makes you say that?"

"He's stronger than you think Pan. Much like his father. He has been raised not to give into a simple little temptation. He knows not to trust anyone who _kidnapped_ him. And I know for a fact he won't believe- "

My words were cut off by a wave of magic hitting me like a slap in the face, causing me to fly back toward the wall. Pan moved closer and grabbed my face.

"Don't lie to yourself," His voice was deep and quiet. "He will believe and you will not tell him about his father or anything that has happened to you in your past life. You will not prevent these plans from being executed, and if you do there will be immense consequences."

"What could you possibly do to me that you haven't already done?" I spat.

"Oh, not to you," he chuckled darkly. "Henry."

"Pan, I swear to God- "

He let go of my face roughly. Pan grabbed the chain wrapped around my ankle and used his magic to unlock it. "You," he grabbed my arm and forced me up. "You are coming up to the camp, putting on a good face, and _not_ telling Henry about this conversation."

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Understood?"

"Pan what the hell- "

"Understood?"

My eyes narrowed. "Fine."

He smirked and began to drag me op the stairs. When we got to the top he let go of my arm and softened his facial features. I did the same.

We got out and Pan sealed the opening behind us. I darted my arms around the camp, looking for…

 _There._

I ran over to henry, who was sitting on a log by the fire.

"Venn!"

"Henry!" I cupped his face in my hands.

"Are you okay?" he asked, pulling away from me.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, are you okay?"

"Of course."

I sighed deeply and Pan approached us. I completely ignored him as the relief of seeing Henry unharmed overwhelmed my mind.

To my surprise Pan grabbed a piece of my hair and began playing with it in his fingers, earning a scared look from Henry. I rolled my eyes and looked back at henry with consoling ones, trying to comfort him. It worked.

"It's getting late." Pan began.

I shrugged off his hands from my hair. "Henry, where have you been sleeping?"

He sighed and looked over at a tree a way away from the fire.

"Okay. Wow, um. Henry, you're gonna sleep in my tent."

"Where will you sleep?" Henry asked back with scared eyes again.

"Right above it, in the tree." I pointed to the tree right above my tent.

He looked at it and smiled. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Yes, of course, I am. Go. I'll be there in a second."

He stood up and walked fast to my tent. I looked up at Pan, who was glaring at me.

"What? I'm giving him a place to sleep! Unlike you, who watched him sleep on the dirt."

Pan rolled his eyes and I smirked, standing up. "Goodnight, Pan."

He scoffed and turned around, making it back to the fire. I smirked again and made my way to my tent. I opened it and saw Henry looking in my books.

He noticed me. "Oh, I'm sorry…" He shuffled at a desperate attempt to hide the book he was holding.

"No, no it's fine. Go ahead."

He did and pulled out the book from the pillow and flipped through it.

"Wait," He looked up at me. "There, right there, in that tree. That's where I'll be, okay?" He nodded. "Goodnight, Henry."

He smiled and I hugged him for the last time that night. I made my way up to the tree and climbed until I got to the third highest branch, laid against the base of it and closed my eyes.

 _Goodnight, Neverland._


	4. Heartless

Yep, there's nothing better to wake up to then an annoying bird call coming from an annoying mouth attached to an annoying person.

 _Yep. Nothing better._

"Wake up!"

 _Pan, shut up._

"Catch."

I heard something hard hit the ground below me and roll.

"I don't like apples."

"Who doesn't like apples?"

"It's a family thing."

I could practically see Pan's smug face through my closed eyes.

"Well don't worry,"

 _Ok, that's my cue. Alrighty Venn, wakey, wakey._

I faked a yawn and sat up from the branch, leaning against the base. Pan was crouched down above Henry, who was sitting on one of the nearest logs.

"They're not for eating. It's for a kind of game. A really fun game."

 _Damnit, Pan. This again?_

He held up the bow to Henry's face which made me tense.

"I call it target practice."

Pan offered a hand to him but Henry stood up on his own, following him toward the center of the camp. Pan grabbed a bottle of dream shade from Nate, one of the older boys.

I swear to God he has done this with every new boy to come on the island, ever. I found it incredulous that the Lost Boys still found it entertaining.

"What's that?"

"It's dream shade, a nasty poison. We heard a story here about a man who once shot an apple of his son's head with an arrow. Let's find out if it's possible."

 _Ok, yeah, no._

I jumped down off the branch and walked calmly toward the group of boys surrounding Henry and Pan.

"If you're shooting the apple, what's the poison for?"

"Motivation not to miss."

I began to walk a little faster and approached them all when Felix grabbed my shoulders playfully and dragged me in front of him, not taking his hands off them.

"Felix! Get over here."

Felix squeezed my shoulders with a wicked smile across his lips and walked forward toward them.

"I-Is Felix good? Is his aim good?"

"Doesn't matter." All the boys began to close in the circle, me included.

"He's not the one doing the shooting."

"I-I don't want to shoot him."

All the boys began chanting for him to shoot. Henry looked at me with worry clear in his eyes.

I smiled and nodded while mouthing 'it's fine.'

"You won't hit him." Henry looked back at Pan. "Trust yourself, go on. It's exhilarating!"

Henry looked at me again and I nodded. He took a big sigh and aimed the cross bow. There was a long pause, the Lost Boys tense with anticipation. Henry inhaled deeply and abruptly turned his aim and fired towards Pan who caught it before it hit his chest. I rolled my eyes.

"Told you it was exhilarating. Come on, I have something to show you."

I stepped forward toward the two of them.

"Venn, stay here."

I crossed my arms and he raised his eyebrows. After a second I scoffed and began walking toward my tent.

 _(line break)_

Henry followed Pan toward a log some ways away from the bonfire.

"Look at the fun their having. The thing about this place Henry, is that no one ever tells you no. You can do whatever you want."

They sat down.

"But they never hurt themselves?"

"Oh, all the time. At one point, I had four boys with missing fingers. Cost of the game, they didn't mind."

"I don't belong here."

"Actually, you do. We have been waiting for you for a very long time, Henry. Long before you were even born."

"I don't believe that."

He scoffed. "You should. This place runs on imagination, on belief. But your world stopped believing. Magic is dying and you, Henry, need to save it."

"In my world, you mean."

Pan scoffed once more. "In every world. You need to bring it back. That's your destiny. To return the magic, to be the savior."

"My mom Emma's the savior, not me. "

"She broke some curse, yeah." He said under his breath.

Henry's face hardened.

"Oh, I know more than you think. But what id breaking the curse wasn't the thing that made her the savior? What if having you was? Think about it, you're the descendant from the greatest of light magic, and of dark."

"So you think I'm supposed to save magic?"

"Oh, I don't think, I believe. Remember I , uh, said I had something to show you. "

He pulled out a scroll of tattered paper.

"I've had this for a very long time. Long before you were even thought of. Look and you'll see why I'm so sure you're the hero magic has been waiting for."

Pan noticed Henry gazing, scared, behind him. "Henry?"

Henry didn't look away.

Pan turned his head around to see what he was staring at.

Devin had Venn pushed up against one of the trees as he violently kissed her. They could both see her hands harshly pushing against him and her legs kicking him.

Pan sighed and handed Henry the scroll. He stood up and began to walk away.

Henry watched as Venn freed herself from Devin's grasp. She looked sad and angry for a second, before running off to her tent. Henry dropped the scroll purposely behind him.

"I don't believe you."

Pan turned around and smirked. "You remind me of your father."

With that he turned around and made his way to who knows where.

Henry inhaled sharply and stood up. He began walking over to Venn's tent.

 _(line break)_

I'm wasn't even surprised. This had happened so many times in the past, why would I?

At least now I was safe-ish in my tent.

It wasn't much, just a sheet kept up by a few sticks. It was small, just big enough to fit two people sitting up. It was filled with pillows and blankets I had made and a box I crafted loaded with books and notebook from back home. It had been a while since I had been in it.

I looked down, tears filled my eyes for the first time in years. I kept quiet, not wanting anyone else to hear me cry. I saw the sheet of the tent begin to move.

It was Henry.

I used the blanket to quickly wipe away the tears from my eyes and opened a book, aimlessly looking for a sentence to read.

"Venn?"

I looked up, pretending to be surprised. "Henry- I…"

"Are you okay?"

I sighed and shut the book. I waved for him to some in and he did.

"It's not the first time."

He sighed and leaned in to hug me. I took it by surprise, given no one has hugged me in a long time.

"It's okay," he started. "You don't have to tell me."

I pulled away from him. "You are the best kid I have ever met."

He smiled. I adjusted my sitting position.

"I just, haven't cried in front of anyone in a long, long time."

"Why?"

"They used my fear, my tears against me. Whenever I would show emotion in general they would just use it to hurt me more. Once I trained myself not to give in to emotion, they couldn't."

He sighed.

"I'm gonna go rest. I'll see you later."

"Bye."

I walked out of the tent and climbed back up the tree.

I just laid there for a while, feeling completely defeated. I ignored the smell of meat roasting above the fire and just laid there until I fell asleep.

 _Oh, well. Tomorrow's a new day._


	5. Hook - part 1

I had the worst headache when I woke up, most likely from Devin slamming it against a tree repeatedly the other day. I sat up and leaned against the tree. Felix was sharpening a hunting spear by the fire while the others played with knives and other pointy sticks, some pretending to sword fight. Henry sat, clearly bored, on a log. Pan was nowhere to be seen.

I smirked and ran a hand through my hair letting it messily fall back again.

With a sigh, I jumped down from the tree branch and made my way to the bonfire.

There were numerous 'good mornings' in which I responded to with a quick 'morning' and I walked over to Felix, leaning up against a tree.

"Morning, Venn," He said not looking up from his task.

"I'm going for a walk."

He looked up. "No."

"Seriously?"

"I'm kidding, stupid."

"You are so childish," I smirked and lightly punched his arm.

He laughed, "Twenty minutes. And Pan won't be back for about an hour."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

I went over to Henry by a log and sat down.

"I'm going for a walk, okay kid?"

He sighed deeply. "Be back soon?"

I pulled up the hood on my jacket, which concealed most my face. "Yeah."

I stood up and turned around. I made my way through the path the boys made a while ago, it led down to the lagoon but traveled through the pixie hallows and great oak trees.

I was left in my thoughts for a while, just focusing on the sounds of the trees and the ocean that was not far. They crashed on the sand smoothly and ebbed back slowly. The trees swayed slightly above me, the wind was calm, unlike last night.

Light shined in slightly through the slits in between the branches that reached the highest to the sky.

I just kept walking, drowning in the ideas and thoughts, for a while until a net fell on top of me.

 _A freaking net._

I heard frantic footsteps running toward where I was knocked down. On instinct, I reached for my pocket knife in my jacket.

"I don't think so," I heard a woman's voice say from above me.

 _And then it was gone._

 _They had magic._

I started to attempt to sit up, not too much avail. I had no idea who the hell these people were but they had some mad skills with rope.

"Regina, he's getting up!"

 _He? Oh, not again._

"I got it, I got it," The woman from before said.

With a slight glint of dark blue, I was emitted to a nearby tree,

 _Tied with freaking ropes._

"Guys, we got one! We got a lost boy!"

 _Crap._

The same woman who was speaking earlier grabbed the hood of my jacket with a rough hand and yanked it down, they all gasped.

"Wait, it's a _girl?"_

I rolled my eyes. "It appears so, yes."

They all started yelling at each other, I just sighed nonchalantly and watched as they fought out an obvious fact. One woman had a pixie cut and was holding on tightly to another man's arm. He had short brown hair and was tall. The woman with the magic had a blue blazer and black hair, I guessed her name was Regina, referring to the woman who spoke with her. The last woman had long blonde hair and a gray tank top.

 _They were all adults_.

Suddenly, a man in all leather cleared in from the trees behind the clearing we were all in.

"You found one?" He didn't sound surprised.

The voice sounded so familiar.

He walked toward me a little more and froze. I searched him looking for a sign.

 _No, it can't be. Oh, my God._

"Hook?"

His breath released from the hitch of his throat. "Venn?"


	6. Hook - part 2

_216 years in the past…_

Venn was walking in the forest, her head filled and spilling over the top with endless thoughts. It was a habit of hers, she always walked when she over thought things.

She was never much for talking about her emotions, mainly because she lived as the only girl on an island packed with teenage boys. Although they were immature and quite loud at times, they could respect her need for space. Pan was weary about her plea to be alone, but when he knew she needed it, he would stay away for a while.

Suddenly, Venn heard a branch painted with leaves rustle behind her. She grabbed a pocket knife from the inside of her jacket and held it in front of her. Venn wasn't afraid, she was rarely scared of anything on the island. But, this was a part of her expertly memorized island where the pirates loomed.

Venn slowly circled around, looking for any change in the formation of leaves that held specific patterns on the dirt. There were footsteps.

"You can put the knife down, love."

Venn spun around, keeping her grip tight on the wooden handle of the knife. "I don't think so. Who the hell are you?"

The man dressed in all black smirked, taking a mock of a bow toward her.

"Killian Jones, or as most call me," He straightened. "Captain Hook."

Venn bound toward him, placing her knife harshly against his neck. "What do you want?"

"You're not what I expected," Killian said in a deep, raspy whisper.

She pushed the knife closer to his neck. "What the hell do you want?"

Killian smirked and pushed her off him, leaving her to fall on the ground. Venn kept a straight face, not taking her eyes off the Captain.

"You'll see," He held out his palm, it was filled with an orange powder. Poppy seeds.

"Don't you- "

He blew it in her face and Venn passed out.

 _(line break)_

Venn opened her eyes.

She was in the dark, the only light shining through was from the glass showing below the ocean, she was in the bottom of the ship. Her arms were tied behind her onto a post, her mouth blocked with a piece of cloth.

Venn looked around, still stirring from her sleep. She looked up and caught eyes with the Captain who had kidnapped her earlier. He was leaning against another post, smirking wickedly down at her. Noticing she was awake, he crouched down in front of her.

Killian used his hook to pulled down the cloth around her mouth.

"Can I help you?" Venn spat sarcastically.

Hook chuckled and subsided with the same smirk as before. He traced his hook along her face, tilting her head in different directions. She snapped it away.

"I'm gonna ask you one last time, Captain. What do you want?"

His voice turned to a low whisper. "I think you know exactly why you're here."

"He won't come for me, you know."

He leaned in closer to her. "He will."

"You're not the first person who had tried this. Even if he does come, he has magic. He can take what he wants without paying the price wanted for it."

"You're one of his Lost Ones. He'll come for you."

"That's where you're wrong."

He grabbed her face roughly. "What?"

"I'm not a Lost One," He let go of her face. "I'm a prisoner, have been for over three hundred years."

Killian eyed her suspiciously, searching for a lie in her glance. He couldn't find one.

"You're telling me Pan imprisoned a small, young girl."

Venn nodded her head.

He adjusted his position. "What's your name, girl?"

"Venn."

Hook stood up and walked over to a table a small distance away from where she was tied to the post. He grabbed a bottle off it and offered it to her from the table. She shook her head.

"I don't do rum."

He shrugged and took a sip himself.

"A prisoner," he stated more than asked. "For what?"

"It's a long story, not one worth telling."

Hook took a small silver pitcher full of water and poured some into a cup. He took it and crouched down in front of her. Hook put it to her lips and Venn drank it as he tipped it up.

"Thanks," Venn said when she was finished.

He nodded and grabbed her bag from behind him.

"Well, prisoner," he opened the bag. "Let's look at what you carried with you."

He dug his hook around inside the large pocket of the brown leather backpack. He pulled out a few shirts and other hand-made tools. When his hook came out with the strings of a small pouch, Venn winced.

He opened it.

"Please be careful I- "

He opened it curiously and pulled out a small steel locket attached to a chain.

"Please- "

"What is this?" He held it out to her and she struggled against the roped tethering her to the post.

Venn looked away from him.

Hook got closer to her as his gaze hardened. His voice turned into a low growl.

"I said, what is this?'

"A locket!" She yelled. "A locket. It was my mother's, she gave it to me."

He subsided back and examined the locked while turning it around with his hook.

"Her name was Milah."

Hook snapped his head up. "Milah?"

"Yes."

"You're Milah's daughter?"

"You knew her?"

"Aye. Who was your father?"

"I never met him, but he was a horrible man. No one you would know, though, my mother traded me to Pan for youth, so she could find another love. She spent centuries, but I hope she found him."

"We were in love."

Venn looked up at him. "You were her true love?"

"Aye, at least I hope so."

"Well, where is she? Is she here?"

Hook swallowed and stood up to pour another glass of water.

"What?" She followed him with her eyes as he stood. "What? What happened?"

He leaned down and tried to give her the water again but she clamped her mouth shut. "She's, she's dead. Isn't she?"

He sighed and put the water down. "Aye."

Venn looked down but refused to let out any tears. Inside she always knew she was dead, but hope was an everlasting flame in the back of her heart.

Killian lifted her chin up with the tip of his hook and looked her in her eyes. He could see the sadness behind her stone-cold mask. Deep down he could see that the girl he was looking at had been through so much already, so much pain, and through the brick wall she had constructed, he could see that he stomped out the last bit of light left in her.

"It's alright, love."

He released her chin and began to slice the rope around her wrists. Once they gave out, she instantly grabbed them and rubbed the new-found cuts that were left.

"Hold on," Hook grabbed the bottle of rum from the table and popped the cap. "This is gonna sting, love."

Venn braced herself for the pain and Hook poured the rum gently onto her wrists.

"Thank you."

Hook half smiled bur froze to stare at my arm. "What is that?"

"What?" Venn followed his gaze.

He reached out an arm with an impatient face and grabbed her arm, rolling up the sleeve of her jacket. He traced his hook across the foot-long scar that trailed up her arm and just above her elbow. "Where did you get this?"

She yanked her arm away from him and pulled back down the sleeve. "Nowhere, don't worry about it."

Hook looked down at her, watching as she clearly wiped away thoughts from her mind. Venn looked up at him, noticing his intent stare.

"Pan," She mumbled with a deep sigh.

Hook solemnly nodded. "You don't want him to come for you, do you?"

Venn ran a hand through her hair and took a shaky breath. "If you need to use me, you can. This isn't your battle."

Hook shook his head. "I can't do that to someone."

"You wouldn't be the first."

Hook grabbed Venn's wrist carefully. "Come with me."

Venn looked up at him and nodded. She followed him up a set of stairs and finally reached the deck of the ship. It wasn't light out yet, but the crew was hard at work manning the sails.

"You can stay here. You can live here, we can be your family."

"I- I can't."

Hook licked his lips and nodded. "I understand. But you are welcome to stay here as long a time as you'd like."

"Really?"

"Yes."

 _(line break)_

 _About seven days later,_

Venn was on the deck of the ship sword-fighting playfully with one of the crew members. After the course of her stay, the crew seemed to really grow on her. They enjoyed giving her lessons and watching her execute her knowledge of piracy.

Most of all, Venn loved the ship. She loved everything about the semi-freedom she had.

She swung a few left jabs of her sword and blocked a few more, smiling and laughing the whole way through.

"Venn," She heard a voice say from behind her. The two stopped their sword-play.

Venn turned around. "Yes, Hook?"

"I wanted to give you something."

Venn walked over to him and leaned up against the railing of the ship. Hook pulled out a small pouch from the pocket of his leather cloak and handed it to her. She smiled and opened it. It was a delicate silver chain holding a sea rock, beautiful stones that sometimes made their way to the surface of the water.

"It's beautiful," She exclaimed looking up at him.

Hook smiled and took it from her hand. "Turn around."

Venn smirked and turned around, taking her long hair up in her hands. Hook gently undid the clasp of the chain and wrapped it softly around her neck, redoing the clasp. Venn turned around and let go of her hair.

"Thank you."

Suddenly, the entire crew snapped their heads to the borders of the ship as Lost Boys climbed aboard. They all drew their swords and Venn rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in front of her.

Pan emerged from the group of boys.

"I believe you took something of mine, Captain." He smirked and turned his gaze to match Venn's.

"I'm not yours," She quietly spat.

Pan smirked and stepped forward, the crew did as well, holding their swords out to the boys.

"Wait!" Venn sighed. She stepped forward to Pan.

"If I go with you willingly, without a fight, without anyone getting hurt, will you let them off the island?"

Pan chuckled softly and stepped back to look at how desperate Venn was. He took a moment to contemplate. "Yes."

"No!" Hook shouted and lunged forward.

"Hook," Venn put an arm out to stop him. "This is my fight. Please."

"Venn, don't," Hook said through gritted teeth.

"I have to."

Pan grabbed her arm. "Let's go."

"Give him the bean." She protested, snapping her arm out of his hand.

Pan reached into his shirt and pulled out a pouch. He threw it at the ground at Hook's feet. Hook wearily picked it up and opened it, holding the shiny bean in his good hand.

"I got to say, Hook."

Killian saw Venn placing both her wrists low in front of her to Felix, who proceeded to tie them tighter tightly with rope.

"I honestly thought you were going to bargain her to me."

Felix spun her around and pushed her to the ground, Venn didn't fight it, she just slumped there with her head down.

"Goodbye, Hook."

With that Pan snapped his fingers and all of the Boys, including Venn, disappeared into the salty air.


	7. Hook - part 3

_Present day_

"Where is it?"

Hook looked at me sternly, as if he didn't believe it was really me. I clenched my jaw, still surprised to see him again.

He suddenly ran toward me, gripping the collar of my jacket. "Where is it?"

I couldn't look at him. "Left pocket."

He eyed me for a second but finally reached down into my left pocket. He pulled a small string pouch and abruptly opened it. Hook pulled out the sea rock necklace.

"Venn?"

"Hook."

The other adults in the background got closer.

"You two know each other?" The blonde woman asked.

Hook didn't look away from me. "Aye."

He used his hook and started cutting the ropes, Regina, I think, grabbed him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Hook. She's a Lost One. We can't trust her."

I looked up at them. "I'm not a Lost One."

The woman with the pixie cut stepped forward. "You're not?"

"No."

Regina let go of Hook. "Then what are you?"

"A prisoner."

The blonde woman and the woman with the pixie looked at each other suspiciously. The blonde was the first to speak. "Not to sound cynical but, aren't you a little, you know, free to be a prisoner?"

"It's complicated."

Hook looked at the blonde. "Emma, this one we can trust."

She solemnly nodded and nudged Regina, who reluctantly used her magic to release the ropes. I ran forward and hugged Hook. He held me as well for a while before pulling apart. "You look older," He searched my facial features.

"I got out."

"When?"

"Two years ago,"

"Venn, I'm so sorry."

"I was brought back a few days ago, with a young boy."

The blonde woman stepped forward. "Henry?"

"Uh, yeah. You know him?"

She swallowed. "I'm Emma, Henry is my son."

I looked at each of the people individually. "You're Henry's family?"

"Yeah."

I smiled. "Wow."

"Enough of this," began Regina. She approached me quickly and grabbed the collar of my jacket. I kept my smirk underneath her grip.

"Regina!" The taller man shouted.

"Where is Henry?" She yelled back to me.

"Pan's camp," I responded slowly. She released my collar.

"And where is that?" She snarled.

I looked at her, then back at Hook. "I've already said too much."

"Well, too much isn't good enough."

"Regina!" Hook yelled.

"You have to understand, I'm not even supposed to be here."

The woman with the pixie cut spoke up. "You're helping Pan?"

"No."

"Then tell us where the camp is, please." Pleaded Emma.

I took a deep breath. "Hook, do you still have that map?"

He nodded and took it out of his jacket. Hook handed it to me and I unfolded it. I stepped toward the blonde woman and the others crowded around. I pointed to the camp. "Right here. But enter on this side," I pointed to the left. "There are fewer guards."

The woman with the pixie cut grabbed my shoulders. "Thank you, Venn."

"He's gonna kill me, you know," I looked up at Hook.

"I know. But thank you."

I smiled. "I can't believe you actually came for Henry."

"Of course, we did," Emma said.

We all snapped our heads to a noise coming to the trees to the right of us. Emma drew her dagger and the others drew swords.

 _It was Pan._

"So, sorry to interrupt," He began. "But I believe you have something of mine."

Emma and Hook put their arms in front of me. "You can't take her."

"Emma, Hook," I pushed through their arms. "Please."

"Venn, don't go with him!" Hook yelled.

"I don't have a choice, you know that. Either way, he's gonna make me leave."

Hook and Emma sighed.

Pan grabbed my arm, I shrugged his hand off and walked in the direction of the camp. He followed close behind. Once I thought we were far enough that the others couldn't hear us, I spun around to face him.

"I'm not yours."

He used his magic to fling me against a tree, I heard Emma gasp. Apparently, we weren't far enough.

He crouched down in front of me as his voice turned into a deep, raspy whisper. "Yes, you are. The more you deny it, the more people are going to be hurt."

I sat up and spit in his face. "I'm not your doll!" I stood up.

He pushed me against a tree, banging my head on it. I could hear Regina whispering. He pinned my wrists above my head and moved so close I could feel his angry breath on my forehead.

"That may be what you believe," His voice was demanding. "But you are not going to tell Henry about anything that has happened. Not about this, not about his family. Understood?" He growled.

"Pan, please- "

He slammed me against the tree again. "Understood?"

"Yes!"

Pan's voice turned to a whisper. "Good girl." He released me and allowed me to fall to the ground.

Still panting and looking at the ground, I spoke up quietly. "You're a monster."

 _(line break)_

Pan grabbed the upper part of her arm, forcing her to stand. He spun her around so her back was to him and entangled her hair in his hand, using the other to puller waist closer to him. She struggled, which only made Pan grip her hair tighter, making  
her wince

"There was a time," He pressed his lips to her ear, talking in a threatening whisper. "Where you used to believe in me."

Venn struggled to talk. "What the hell are you talking about?"

He released her waist but kept his hand in her hair. Pan pulled out a vial from his pocket and popped off the lid. Grabbing her waist and releasing her hair, he replaced his grip to her mouth, forcing it open. Pan put the vial to her lips and made her  
drink and swallow it. Once he was sure she did, he released her completely.

"What the hell was that?" She yelled, pushing off him. Venn looked up to meet his smirking face. "What the hell was that?!"

"A memory potion."

"A what?"

"Let's just say you are going to remember, everything, whether you want to or not."

"If you think this is going to change my feelings toward you-"

"Don't kid yourself, Venn. You won't want to leave Neverland once you remember."

"I doubt that."

He scoffed. "Back to the camp. Now."

 _A freaking memory potion. Great._


	8. Astray

He grabbed my arm and tried to pull me toward the camp with him but I snapped it away and walked ahead of him. The walk home was quiet. It wasn't exactly a secret to him that I was mad, but I really didn't feel like talking to him.

Once we arrived at the camp, I immediately looked for Henry. He was in his usual position, sitting quietly on a log. I headed toward him and sat down next to him, throwing a fake smile on my face.

"Venn!" He looked up at me. "What took you so long?"

"I just, a- took a different path than usual."

He looked at me, I knew he knew I was lying. But, thankfully for me, he didn't press on. I wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close, rubbing his upper arm with my thumb with sympathy.

"You doing okay, kid?" I asked him softly. "I know it's a hard adjustment."

He smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine."

I sighed and pulled him closer.

Henry was the best thing that had ever happened to me in a long while. I just remembered seeing him for the first time with Greg and Tamara, his hands zip-tied and his face, just so helpless. It was hard, seeing another kid like this. Greg and Tamara kidnapped me a lot earlier than Henry, they kept me in Greg's basement until it was time. One day they turned on the light, told me to get up and drove me over to the docks. I waited in their car until they came and got me with a little boy in the same position I was. I didn't know who he was at the time, or the impact he was going to have on my life. Greg and Tamara jumped us through a portal and as soon as I realized we were on Neverland, well, that's when I started caring for the kid. I wasn't going to let another innocent soul get wrapped up in Pan's evil.

I looked down at him, for the first time since we got here, he looked relaxed.

We just sat there for a while, watching the boys dance around the huge bonfire burning in front of us.

Henry's muscles tensed as Pan approached us. He came from behind and started gently playing with my hair. "Are you not joining in the celebration, Henry? Venn?"

Henry sat up and inhaled deeply. "Nothing to celebrate," He responded weakly.

"Nothing to celebrate?" Pan let go of my hair. "Henry, this whole party is to celebrate you."

I rolled my eyes.

"Me?" Henry began. "Why?"

Pan sat down at the opposite end of Henry. "Because you have come to save magic, of course." He smirked. "And I, for one, can't think of a reason more deserving of celebration as that."

I glanced over at Pan who was looking intently at Henry, he shot me a glare.

"Just look at them," We all turned to watch the boys dance joyfully around the fire.

Henry sighed. "I'm not like them. Or you."

Pan scoffed. "Sure, you are. You're still a boy." He brought the pipe he was holding to his lips. "Maybe a song will get you on your feet." He began to blow a melodic tune. I glanced at Henry, he couldn't hear it.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't hear anything."

Pan looked up, looking surprised. "Interesting."

What was sad was that I could hear it. I had trained myself not to give into its compelling tune, but I still heard it.

"You see, this pipe is enchanted, Henry. It can only be heard by certain children."

"Like who?"

I squeezed Henry's upper arm. I couldn't listen to this explanation again. To my surprise, he didn't explain. Instead, he looked up at Felix, who was walking behind us.

"You'll find out soon enough. I promise." With that, he stood up and walked over to Felix.

Henry glanced up questionably at me, I knew he wanted an answer. I simply shook my head and he leaned back down on my shoulder. I kissed the top of his head and continued to stroke his upper arm with my thumb.

Felix and Pan's conversation was muffled, but one part stood out to me…

"Now, now Felix. Where's your sense of adventure? We can't end the party when the real fun is about to begin."

I looked up at the two of them, only to find them smirked evilly down at me and Henry, I gripped the kid tighter. As expected, I heard Pan approaching us from behind again. He grabbed my shoulders.

"Do you mind if I borrow Venn for a bit, Henry?"

 _…_ _the real fun is about to begin_

Henry sat up. I rolled my eyes.

"What do you want, Pan?" I spat under my breath.

"There's an errand I need your help with," He responded impatiently.

I stood up, Henry grabbed my hand. "Sorry kid," I whispered, letting go of it.

"Let's go."

"Bye, Henry," I smiled.

I followed Pan off into the forest. He stopped for a second and snapped his fingers. Henry's coat and scarf appeared in his hand. He put it on.

"What do you need that- oh."

He smirked and grabbed my wrist. Pan lead me further into the forest, we eventually approached a hill. As we tread it, the air became colder and colder. I had left my jacket at the camp, and my tank top wasn't really cutting it. I was shivering.

Pan froze for a second. "Hold my hand," He whispered very softly. I glared up at him but obeyed, slowly intertwining my fingers with his.

We kept walking up the hill.

"No one's here," I heard a soft voice say from below us. Pan's hand gripped mine tightly, willing me to stay quiet.

"Maybe your spell was wrong, Regina."

 _Crap._

"Blame me again." I heard Regina spat.

"Guy's hold on, is that, Henry?!"

"Venn!" I heard Hook shout. Pan whirled me around. Grabbing my upper arm.

"Hi, Emma," he smirked. I looked up and saw the Charming's, Emma, Regina, and Hook looking ambitiously up at us.

"Where the hell is Henry?" Emma screamed.

"Let go of Venn." Hook snarled.

"You broke the rule, that's not fair," Pan paced with me in tow. "Bad form, I expected more from you, Captain."

"And you'll get it," Hook reassured. I tried to pull myself out of Pans hold, but he only tightened it.

"Are you okay, Venn?" Emma yelled.

"I'm fine," I said, more to myself.

"Love, you're shaking," Hook called up. "Give her to us, Pan."

"Sorry, can't. Don't you know? Cheaters never win," Pan smirked. Everyone began fighting. I saw Felix fighting with Hook, and Regina dodging and throwing punches. I attempted to get out of Pan's grip once more, but he tightened his grip on my arm and grabbed me around the waist.

"Let go of her!" I heard Hook struggle to yell.

"If you hurt me, you hurt Venn," He scoffed. The fighting seized.

"Where's Henry?! Where is he?!" We all heard Emma yell. I looked over to see her pinning Nate to the ground, a knife to his throat. Pan whistled and the boys, including him, scrambled behind us.

"Felix," Pan started quietly. He stepped forward. Pan let go of me and pushed me to him. "Take Venn back to the camp."

Felix attempted to grab my arm but I pushed against him, hitting his shoulder as I walked back to the camp. We walked for a while, Felix always a few steps behind me. When I entered the camp, I sat down next to Henry again. He didn't question the errand, didn't question what had happened, he just laid against my shoulder and closed his eyes. After a while, the Lost boys came piling back in.

Henry began dozing off to sleep every now and then against my shoulder until he finally fell asleep. Once he did, I sighed and picked him up. He weighed almost nothing. I carried him off to my tent and laid him down gently. I kissed him on the forehead, whispered 'goodnight' and made my way out back to the bonfire.

I sat on the same log for a while, but Felix motioned me over to sit with him.

I sighed and walked over, sitting down about a foot away.

"You doing okay?"

I looked up at him. "Uh- yeah."

He nodded and looked down, continuing his knife sharpening. "The boys missed you, you know," He said, not looking up.

"I'm sure." I smiled sarcastically.

He smiled as well and looked up. "You look different."

I chuckled. "I got older."

Felix nodded. "I never thought of you to be the motherly type, you know?"

I scoffed. "Henry's a good kid."

He smiled. "How was it? You know, in the real world."

I scoffed, thinking about it. Yes, I was in Storybrooke, but I was in hiding. I didn't meet anyone, didn't talk to anyone. I just stayed in a broken-down house on the edge of town, alone.

"Great," I lied.

I looked over at him, my vision turning at the oddest angle.

"Venn?"

The camp started spinning, I could feel myself falling forward and my eyelids getting darker.

The last thing I felt was two hands on the front part of my shoulders, trying to keep me upright.

 _(line break)_

"Venn?"

Felix tried to keep Venn upright with his hands. "Pan!" He yelled.

Pan came running over, shocked at the panic in Felix's voice.

"What is it, Felix?"

He looked over to Venn, who was passed out in Felix's arms.

"What happened?" He asked, picking her up.

"I gave her the potion," Pan smirked.

"Why did she pass out?"

"She's remembering."


	9. The Pied Piper

_415 years in the past…_

Venn was seven years old.

She was living in an orphanage, alongside many other children, all older than her, in whose parents abandoned them.

It was nearly midnight, but Venn was still up in her small bed, looking out the window. There was a compelling music coming from below. Venn wondered why none of the boys could hear it. It was so loud…

She gave in to the temptation and sprung out of bed. Venn quietly walked down the stairs and escaped through the unlocked back door. She ran into the forest, the source of the music getting louder and louder each step she took.

Finally, she saw it.

There was a group of boys dancing psychotically around a bonfire, and another in a patched hood. He was playing the music from a pipe.

Venn was frightened at the sight, but the music drew her closer. When she was feet away from the group, she hid shyly behind a tree, still looking at them.

She watched for a while, swaying slightly to the melody of the music.

At last, she caught eyes with the pipe-player. He stood looking at her, confused, for a while. Venn stared back at him with a pair of big, scared eyes. After debating it for a while, she turned hill and ran.

She heard the hooded figure yell.

"Felix!"

Venn ran even faster.

Eventually she was grabbed from behind, a hand clamping tightly around her mouth. The hands picked her struggling body up and walked her back to the group of boys. The person threw her to the ground.

The hooded figure crouched down in front of her and put a finger to his lip. "Don't scream."

She eyed him nervously and sat up, obeying his demand.

"Why are you here?" He asked quietly.

Venn looked at him, but looked down, her body still shaking.

"I heard the music," She said, barely audible.

Pan's face twisted with confusion. "You could hear it?"

Venn nodded.

Pan lifted her chin with his hand, she looked at him fearfully.

"You're so young," He noted, raising his eyebrows.

"What's your name, girl?" he cooed, releasing her chin.

She looked down, and her body began shaking even more. Pan took note of it.

"Venn," She whispered.

He pulled off his hood.

"Who are you?" Venn asked, looking up at him, near to tears.

"I'm Peter, Peter Pan."

She tried to move backward, tears finally releasing from her eyes.

"Why are you afraid?" He asked innocently, grabbing her wrist.

"I-I…"

"Shh," He inched closer, grabbing her face in his hands. He gently wiped away the tears with the pads of his thumbs. "It's okay."

Venn shied away from his touch. Pan noticed her trembling body, he let go.

"I'm sorry," He whispered as she stood up. Pan stood up as well.

She stumbled backward.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

Pan heard her breath hitch in her throat. "I- I just want to go home."

He sighed. "But you don't have a home, do you?"

Venn started crying again. She shook her head.

Pan sighed, but to his surprise the small girl ran to hug his legs. He looked down, surprised, but wrapped his arms around her. He ended up picking her up.

She buried her face into the fold of his neck.

"Shh, it's okay," he whispered.

Against his better judgment, he decided to carry her back to the orphanage. Venn was already sound asleep by the time they arrived.

Careful not to wake her, Pan flew up to the window of the building and laid her softly into the only empty bed in the room. He pulled up the sheets.

"I will see you again, Venn."


End file.
